The Walking Dead dominates ratings with estimated 22 million viewers

Note: There are spoilers for the premiere if you haven’t seen it yet!

Muck like Carol wandering in from the wilderness and blowing Terminus straight to hell, the Season 5 premiere of AMC’s The Walking Dead left all comers in the dust to become the most highly-rated episode in cable television history.

Via tvbythenumbers:

The season five premiere of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” delivered the highest ratings in series history. The episode was watched by 17.3 million viewers and 11 million adults aged 18-49, increases of 7% and 6%, respectively, over the season four premiere, the previous record-holder. “The Walking Dead” continues to be the #1 show on television among adults 18-49. Last night’s episode outperformed everything else on television in this key demographic, including Sunday Night Football, by over 2.5 million adults 18-49. With time-shifted playback, the season five premiere should exceed 22 million viewers.

Tensions were high coming off a Season 4 ending that left viewers wondering what would happen to the beleaguered crew as they found themselves at the whim of some pretty evil folks at what was at one time a hopeful sanctuary.

With an opening scene that was the most visceral yet in a show predicated on pushing boundaries, the plot was put into overdrive as Grimes and the team busted out of Terminus thanks to the return of a one-woman-army in the form of Carol.

It was an awesome table setter for the coming season as the baddest show on TV rolls on – and people by the millions are watching.